Hydration or drinking systems adapted to be worn, carried or otherwise made available to a user can comprise a bladder disposed in a backpack, a hydration bite valve, and a hydration hose extending between the bite valve and the bladder such that the user can suck water or other drinkable fluid from the bladder through the hydration hose and the hydration bite valve. Such hydration systems are typically configured so they may be employed in a substantially hands-free manner, and are often portable. Under cold weather conditions, water in one or more of the drinking hose, the bladder and the bite valve can freeze, and thereby prevent provision of drinkable fluid to the user through the hose and bite valve. Among other things, what is needed is a hydration system where a user can access and drink the drinkable fluid in the bladder or other container, notwithstanding ambient cold weather conditions and low temperatures.
Various printed publications, patents and patent applications disclosing subject matter relating directly or indirectly to the methods, systems, devices and components disclosed below include, but are not limited to, the following:                U.S. Pat. No. 2,285,776 to McCoy entitled “Hot Water Bottle,” Jun. 9, 1942.        U.S. Pat. No. 4,022,347 to Noble entitled “Apparatus for pumping and dispensing liquid from pharmaceutical bottles,” May 10, 1977.        U.S. Pat. No. 4,500,118 to Blenkush entitled “Fitting apparatus for soft tubing,” Feb. 19, 1985; assigned to Colder Products Company.        U.S. Pat. No. 4,541,657 to Smyth entitled “Quick release hose coupling,” Sep. 17, 1985; assigned to Sabco, Ltd.        U.S. Pat. No. 4,553,023 to Jameson, et al. entitled “Thermally insulated electrically heated hose for transmitting hot liquid”, Nov. 12, 1985; assigned to Nordson Corporation.        U.S. Pat. No. 4,629,098 to Eger entitled “Portable Liquid Dispenser”, Dec. 16, 1986.        U.S. Pat. No. 4,930,543 to Zuiches entitled “Protective Cover for Hose Connectors”, Jun. 5, 1990.        U.S. Pat. No. 5,245,693 to Ford, et al. entitled “Parenteral fluid warmer apparatus and disposable cassette utilizing thin, flexible heat-exchange membrane”, Sep. 14, 1993, assigned to In-Touch Products Co.        U.S. Pat. No. 5,316,041 to Ramacier Jr, et al. entitled “Quick Connection coupling valve assembly”, May 31, 1994, assigned to Colder Product Co.        U.S. Pat. No. 5,378,024 to Kumagai, et al. entitled “Quick connector”, Jan. 3, 1995, assigned to Tokai Rubber Industries Ltd.        U.S. Pat. No. 5,520,420 to Moretti entitled “Protective cap for a releasable quick-action closure coupling”, May 28, 1996, assigned to A. Raymond and Cie.        U.S. Pat. No. 5,536,047 to Detable, et al. entitled “Quick connection for fitting a rigid tube in a connector”, Jul. 16, 1996, assigned to Etablissments Caillau.        U.S. Pat. No. 5,645,404 to Zelenak entitled “Personal fluid dispensing device”, Jul. 8, 1997 assigned to Z Industry, Inc.        U.S. Pat. No. 5,859,953 to Nickless entitled “Electric heating apparatus for deicing pipes utilizing flexible heated hose inserted into pipe”, Jan. 12, 1999.        U.S. Pat. No. 5,879,033 to Hansel, et al. entitled “Hose connector”, Mar. 9, 1999 assigned to A. Raymond & Cie.        U.S. Pat. No. 5,975,387 to Gleason, et al. entitled “Bladder frame backpack”, Nov. 2, 1999 assigned to K 2 Corporation.        U.S. Pat. No. 6,039,305 to Hoskins, et al. entitled “Bite valve for hydration bladder”, Mar. 21, 2000, assigned to K 2 Corporation.        U.S. Pat. No. 6,070,767 to Gardner, et al. entitled “Personal hydration system with an improved mouthpiece”, Jun. 6, 2000, assigned to CamelBak Products, Inc.        U.S. Pat. No. 6,085,947 to Lien entitled “Soft type mouthpiece with water releasing and water stopping functions”, Jul. 11, 2000.        U.S. Pat. No. 6,142,974 to Kistner, et al. entitled “Portable I.V. fluid warming system”, Nov. 7, 2000 assigned to Estill Medical Technologies, Inc.        U.S. Pat. No. 6,231,089 to DeCler, et al. entitled “Two piece molded female coupling”, May 15, 2001 assigned to Colder Products Company.        U.S. Pat. No. 6,318,764 to Trede, et al. entitled “Detachable rapid-action coupling device”, Nov. 20, 2001 assigned to A. Raymond & Cie.        U.S. Pat. No. 6,364,168 to Gardner, et al. entitled “Personal hydration system with an improved mouthpiece”, Apr. 2, 2002 assigned to CamelBak Products, Inc.        U.S. Pat. No. 6,382,593 to deCler, et al. entitled “Fluid coupling”, May 7, 2002 assigned to Colder Products Company.        U.S. Pat. No. 6,428,055 to Moretti, et al. entitled “Releasable quick coupling for metal pipes”, Aug. 6, 2002 assigned to A. Raymond & Cie.        U.S. Pat. No. 6,471,252 to Moretti, et al. entitled “Releasable plug-in connector for high pressure lines”, Oct. 29, 2002 assigned to A. Raymond & Cie.        U.S. Pat. No. 6,497,348 to Forsman, et al. entitled “Hydration system with improved fluid delivery system”, Dec. 24, 2002 assigned to CamelBak Products, Inc.        U.S. Pat. No. 6,520,480 to Martin-Cochner, et al. entitled “Plug connection with outlet shut-off”, Feb. 18, 2003 assigned to A. Raymond & Cie.        U.S. Pat. No. 6,557,899 to Martin-Cochner, et al. entitled “Releasable plug coupling with protective sleeve”, May 6, 2003 assigned to A. Raymond & Cie.        U.S. Pat. No. 6,675,998 to Forsman, et al. entitled “Hydration system with improved fluid reservoir”, Jan. 13, 2004 assigned to CamelBak Products, Inc.        U.S. Pat. No. 6,722,533 to Skillern entitled “Hydration pouch with detachable hose”, Apr. 20, 2004.        U.S. Pat. No. 6,749,090 to Bailey entitled “Dual bladder sports hydration system”, Jun. 15, 2004 assigned to Trek Bicycle Corp.        U.S. Pat. No. 6,756,573 to Cornell entitled “Heated golf club grip”, Jun. 29, 2004.        U.S. Pat. No. 6,820,780 to Forsman, et al. entitled “Neck-supported fluid reservoir, hydration systems and pack assemblies including the same” Nov. 23, 2004 assigned to CamelBak Products, Inc.        U.S. Pat. No. 6,892,915 to Mares entitled “Pack frame assembly and hydration systems incorporating the same”, May 17, 2005 assigned to CamelBak Products, LLC.        U.S. Pat. No. 6,908,015 to Choi, et al. entitled “Personal hydration system with component connectivity”, Jun. 21, 2005 assigned to CamelBak Products, LLC.        U.S. Pat. No. 6,981,613 to Kamisugi entitled “Portable pressurized liquid storage system”, Jan. 3, 2006.        U.S. Pat. No. 7,007,502 to Kreutzmann, et al. entitled “In-car hydration systems”, Mar. 7, 2006 assigned to Stokley-Van Camp, Inc.        U.S. Pat. No. 7,063,243 to Forsman, et al. entitled “Hydration system with improved fluid reservoir”, Jun. 20, 2006 assigned to CamelBak Products, LLC.        U.S. Pat. No. 7,070,075 to Forsman, et al. entitled “Hydration system with improved fluid reservoir”, Jul. 4, 2006 assigned to CamelBak Products, LLC.        U.S. Pat. No. 7,073,688 to Choi, et al. entitled “Personal hydration system with component connectivity”, Jul. 11, 2006 assigned to CamelBak Products, LLC.        U.S. Pat. No. 7,201,299 to Forsman, et al. entitled “Waist-mounted hydration system”, Apr. 10, 2007 assigned to CamelBak Products, LLC.        U.S. Pat. No. 7,311,231 to Noell, et al. entitled “Disposable pouch hydration system”, Dec. 25, 2007 assigned to Blackhawk Industries Product Group Unlimited, LLC.        U.S. Pat. No. 7,509,692 to Elkins, et al. entitled “Wearable personal cooling and hydration system”, Mar. 31, 2009 assigned to bioCOOL technologies, LLC.        U.S. Pat. No. 7,533,783 to Choi, et al. entitled “Drink bottles with bite-actuated mouthpieces”, May 19, 2009 assigned to CamelBak Products, LLC.        U.S. Pat. No. 7,806,300 to Noell, et al. entitled “Hydration system”, Oct. 5, 2010 assigned to Blackhawk Industries Product Group Unlimited, LLC.        U.S. Pat. No. 7,820,946 to Woodfill, et al. entitled “Heated hydration system”, Oct. 26, 2010 assigned to The North Face Apparel Corp.        U.S. Pat. No. 7,971,549 to Skillern, et al. entitled “Hydration system for kayak integration”, Jul. 5, 2011 assigned to Oakley, Inc.        U.S. Pat. No. 8,020,730 to Liang, et al. entitled “Slosh controlled personal hydration system”, Sep. 20, 2011 assigned to The North Face Apparel Corp.        U.S. Pat. No. 8,083,105 to Reichert, et al. entitled “Pressurized fluid delivery system”, Dec. 27, 2011.        U.S. Pat. No. 8,177,097 to Duran entitled “Personal hydration systems, dryer mechanisms for use with personal hydration systems, and methods of drying personal hydration systems reservoirs”, May 15, 2012 assigned to CamelBak Products, LLC.        U.S. Pat. No. 8,191,727 to Davies, et al. entitled “Drink containers”, Jun. 5, 2012 assigned to CamelBak Products, LLC.        U.S. Pat. No. 8,252,224 to Blain entitled “Methods of assembling multi-layered drink containers”, Aug. 28, 2012 assigned to CamelBak Products, LLC.        U.S. Pat. No. 8,267,283 to Staton entitled “Personal hydration system”, Sep. 18, 2012 assigned to Nalge Nunc International Corporation.        U.S. Pat. No. 8,276,785 to Wheatley, et al. entitled “NBC/CBRNE personal hydration system”, Oct. 2, 2012 assigned to E. Wheatley Enterprises, Inc.        U.S. Pat. No. 8,276,789 to Emenheiser entitled “Heat transfer apparatus”, Oct. 2, 2012.        U.S. Pat. No. 8,408,425 to Lien entitled “Hydration device”, Apr. 2, 2013.        U.S. Pat. No. 8,469,226 to Davies, et al. entitled “Drink containers”, Jun. 25, 2013 assigned to CamelBak Products, LLC.        U.S. Pat. No. 8,469,405 to Wheatley, et al. entitled “Securing mechanism for a coupling device”, Jun. 25, 2013 assigned to Dave Wheatley Enterprises Inc.        U.S. Patent Publication No. 2002/0113101 to Skillern entitled “Hydration pouch with integral thermal medium”, Aug. 22, 2002.        U.S. Patent Publication No. 2005/0029313 to Robins, et al. entitled “Personal hydration system”, Feb. 10, 2005 assigned to Fiskars Brands, Inc.        U.S. Patent Publication No. 2006/0151534 to Mares entitled “Freeze resistant hydration systems”, Jul. 13, 2006.        
The dates of the foregoing publications may correspond to any one of priority dates, filing dates, publication dates and issue dates. Listing of the above patents and patent applications in this background section is not, and shall not be construed as, an admission by the applicants or their counsel that one or more publications shown in the above list constitute prior art in respect of the applicant's various inventions. All printed publications, patents and patent applications referenced above or otherwise herein are hereby incorporated by referenced herein, each in its respective entirety.
Upon having read and understood the Summary, Detailed Description and Claims set forth below, those skilled in the art will appreciate that at least some of the systems, devices, components and methods disclosed in the printed publications listed herein may be modified advantageously in accordance with the teachings of the various embodiments that are disclosed and described herein.